1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to engine lubrication systems, particularly to pre-ignition engine lubrication.
2. Description of the prior art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,606 issued Sep. 5, 1944 to A. Nutt describes a pre-ignition oiler which comprises an electric oil pump which draws oil from a sump and delivers the unfiltered oil to various engine parts through passageways which are independent of the engine's normal operating lubrication system. Unlike the present invention, the reference system is not seen to filter oil drawn from the sump, fails to utilize the operating lubricating system's oil passageways, and lacks modularity such that incorporation in an extant system would require substantial reworking of the engine.
U.S. Pat. No, 4,094,293 issued Jun. 13, 1978 to J. W. Evans describes a pre-ignition oiler which comprises a cylinder. Compressed air fills one side of the chamber which a piston divides; the other side acts as an oil reservoir. Low oil pressure triggers a solenoid to allow the piston to pump oil into the engine's lubrication system. The reservoir is recharged when the oil pressure has reached normal operating conditions. Evans'preoiler is dependent on maintaining a separate reservoir of oil rather than relying on the system's extant reservoir as is the case in the instant invention. Evans'pre-oiler depends on maintaining compressed air in the system unlike the present invention and does not filter the oil prior to its introduction into the engine system.
Great Britain Patent No, 940,909 published Nov. 6, 1963 and issued to Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft (DBA) describes an engine pre-oiler which comprises a fluid circuit which includes a separate pre-oil pump, and which feeds into the operating lubrication system. DBA's system also includes a check valve to ensure the pre-oil pump experiences no back flow when the operating oil pump is in service. However, DBA's system fails to ensure that the operating oil pump and sump experience no back-flow while the pre-oil pump is in service.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.